View from the 5th tee at Royal New Kent Golf Club
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4.4
651 Reviews (651)
5 Stars
473
4 Stars
135
3 Stars
29
2 Stars
7
1 Stars
7
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.3
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.2
89.8%
Recommend this course
615 out of 651 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
24 Reviews (24)
5 Stars
17
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.4
Value
4.5
Layout
4.8
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.8
95.8%
Recommend this course
23 out of 24 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.2
77 Reviews (77)
5 Stars
38
4 Stars
24
3 Stars
8
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
2
Conditions
3.8
Value
4.0
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.3
Amenities
4.1
StaffFriendliness
4.6
85.7%
Recommend this course
66 out of 77 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private
Style Links
Par 72
Length 7440 yards
Slope 154
Rating 76.8

Formerly known as The Tradition Golf Club At Royal New Kent

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Royal New Kent Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 1996
Greens Champion Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Mike Strantz (1996)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Grill, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Conference Facilities, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

Reviews

4.4
651 Reviews (651)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
19th Hole Scenic Views 9
Drinks 7
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 20
Undulating Greens 20
Forced Carries 19
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 24
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 16
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 14
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 22

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 4
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 35
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Very nice round. When busy it's always a 5 hour round, there are bottlenecks that the club will need to figure out at some point.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 06/13/2023

Hi millerri,

We appreciate your feedback and kind words. See you again soon!

Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

A pleasant surprise on an unplanned golf day!

Very friendly staff!
We started a little late due to cutting and rolling of the greens.
Not crowded on a Friday morning!
I don't know if they allow walking, it's quite a long course!
Unbelievably beautiful location!
A lot of blind corners and green, it's kind of challenging. Use an app to view overhead imagery to get a good understanding of the course.
I'd definitely play there again.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 06/13/2023

Hi Furnissg,

Thank you for your kinds words and feedback! Looking forward to having you again soon.

Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
1.0
Verified Purchaser

They lost it..

Greens had cauliflower in-em..they tried to cover up with sand...fairways were burnt out..no grass-i actually found grass in the wood-
I tee-up and a guy on the mower sat right there, I was the guest..not him-dont get me wrong the course from view is spectacular!! We just need someone there who knows how to grow grass-
Because of the shape the guy should of said..ya know here's a free round for next time let's see if we can get her back...where it wasn't burnt out it was under water..unplayable-

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/30/2023

Hi u557451069,

Thank you for your feedback. We are working hard every day to make Royal New Kent the best experience possible for every golfer. We suffered in some areas coming out of the winter months with the cold overnight temperatures affecting the growth of our Bermudagrass. We have Bermudagrass across our entire golf course, Tees/Fairways/Rough/Greens. The grass you noticed in the greens is a type of Poa annua grass that grows until the Bermudagrass is growing enough to kill it off. Because of the temperatures at night and during the day not being high enough, the Bermudagrass has not had the best growing weather compared to other years. With the work being done and some warmer days/nights, we expect to be in great shape very soon! We hope to host you and your group again this year when our expected conditions are back.

Played On
Reviews 335
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wild and unrestrained; a bucket-list course for thrill-seekers

The overall traditional historical bent of the golf community, especially in the United States, has caused the country’s courses to skew a little safe and formulaic in their design, especially in the decades since World War II. That’s why it is so refreshing to play a course like Royal New Kent, which architect Mike Strantz used as a vehicle for thumbing his nose at the establishment. Inspired by the wildest Irish links, Strantz confronts golfers repeatedly with holes and set-piece shots that on first appearance look unplayable. From the ingenious first hole – a blind tee shot over heathery mounds followed by an approach up a steep hill to a huge two-tiered green in the sky – Strantz is bluntly saying that the meek need not apply; “Self-Confident Only Golfers Past This Point.” The rest of the front nine brings similar outlandish challenges, but those who embrace it will find that the fairways are wider than they often appear and there is practically always a side to miss on. No one would call Royal New Kent easy, but it is playable from the right set of tees, especially as the back nine eases off a bit.

Strantz’s confrontational approach to design here was ahead of its time; Royal New Kent alienated so many golfers in its first decade-plus that it eventually declined and closer for a period. Under new ownership and amid a climate where traveling golfers are increasingly adventurous – and likely more forgiving of its conditioning, which is a work in progress but continues to improve (the greens are particularly nice), it is poised to come into its own and continue to stand out. It’s worthy of a spot on any open-minded golfer’s bucket list.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Windy

No hole layouts to use. On the score card or each hole. GPS kept bringing up a different course. Some really narrow greens to hit from long distance. Hard to chip to a down slope and stay anywhere on the green. Some hole layouts were really hard to understand. No water containers on the course. Although you did provide 2 bottles of water. Yeah, you have a beverage cart that I saw once on the front and once on the back. The breakfast we were fixed by a very pleasant woman was the best omelet I've ever had. She was awesome 👌.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/30/2023

Hi u7654255,

Thank you for the feedback on your experience and the kind words about your omelet!

We provide free water bottles in every cart for your round to confirm that each golfer has water available to them instead of jugs on the course.

Royal New Kent Golf Club is on all the common GPS programs and apps. Although there is another golf course very close by, ours will pop up to be selected as well!

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Amazing

You want to take a trip to Ireland? No need, go to Royal new Kent in Virginia and it is the same atmosphere. The course was extremely challenging and beautiful at the same time. I’m definitely going back. Bring a couple golf balls too, a lot go blind shots and if you miss your mark, the ball is gone.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/30/2023

Hi Seanloya,

Thank you for the kind words and feedback on your experience. We really enjoy being a course designed with Ballybunion and Royal County Down in mind. See you again soon.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great layout , poor conditions

I have played. a lot of golf all over the world. This is a great layout, but the turf conditions were so subpar that it was a disappointment, for a top 100 course.. The greens were okay, the rest of the course, disastrous!!! I’m not an agronomist, but I have played a lot of golf. The strain of Bermuda planted in the fairways is not appropriate for the area, It’s a shame that turf conditions spoils an otherwise positive view of the course.

The young man that greeted me and took care of loading my bag on the cart was great, and I tipped him accordingly. The guy in the pro shop????????? What an unpleasant experience!!!!!!

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/30/2023

Hi 1027sez,

We appreciate your feedback after your experience at Royal New Kent. This Mike Strantz Design constructed on such a large site gives some great views and challenges. But it also creates spots that may have some difficulty transitioning from dormant grass (brown) to growing and healthy grass. We are working hard every day to help the growing process of our Bermudagrass that is moving slower than expected. We expect to see major improvements very shortly.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Underwhelmed but pleased

This course lives up to the reputation of being a Strantz design. You’ll find yourself scratching your head numerous times throughout the round, with blind approach shots and seemingly only feet of landing space on tee shots. Staff is friendly, bottle of water in the cart is also a nice touch.

Course design and amenities aside, the course condition left much to be desired. Bald spots on the fairways and rough tee boxes abound.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/30/2023

Hi hioer14,

Thank you for playing and we appreciate your feedback on your experience. We are working hard every day to assist our Bermudagrass in the growing process coming out of the winter months and colder temperatures. We appreciate your patience with us as we work hard every day to present a fun and memorable experience for every golfer who plays!

Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course condition - need some improvement

This was my second time playing on this course. When I played three years ago, it was such a great experience. The course was in a great condition. Not so much this time around. The fairway is in a bad condition. Many holes had dirt on the fairway and no grass. Not sure if it is due to rain, but this course need more grass on the fairway. The greens are still nice and the layout is awesome.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/30/2023

Hi inchonlee,

Thank you for your feedback. We are working hard every day to make Royal New Kent the best experience possible for every golfer. We suffered in some areas coming out of the winter months with the cold overnight temperatures affecting the growth of our Bermudagrass. With the work being done and some warmer days/nights, we expect to be in great shape very soon! We hope to host you multiple times this year and can’t wait to see you again.

Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Hard winter

This course is just great.normally,
Last year at the same time ,course was in a great shape
This year not so much ,about 2 to 3 week late. Too bad they did not have a good winter,
This is a great course,just love it

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played

No Grass

Course conditions were poor. The fairways and tee boxes were almost all mud. The Bermuda has not started growing as of yet. The layout remains challenging but definitely even more challenging with no grass which equates to poor lies. Awesome staff

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/05/2023

Hi,

Thank you for playing and we appreciate your feedback on your experience. We are working hard every day to assist our Bermudagrass in the growing process coming out of the winter months and colder temperatures. We appreciate your patience with us as we work hard every day to present a fun and memorable experience for every golfer who plays!

Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Rough shape

Love the golf course but it was in rough shape. Appears they caught a fungus maybe, lots of dead fairway and Tee box grass. Greens had some odd weed growths as well. May want to give this course a month or so to recover

Conditions Poor
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/05/2023

Hi Wilsky16,

We're happy to hear that you love the golf course during most rounds! We appreciate your feedback and luckily there is no fungus problem but there has been trouble getting the grass growing coming out of the winter months with consistent overnight temperatures being in the 40s. Bermudagrass needs a combined daytime & nighttime temperature of close to 150 to get real growth and we just haven't had that much at all so far in 2023. We are working hard every day to assist the grass in the growing process.

Played On
Reviews 31
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Bring Your "A" Game

Let me start off by saying I was told this was the 15th toughest golf course in the United States it's one of the most difficult golf courses I've ever played it was a reward to be on in regulation and the greens were incredibly difficult some were as long as 75 to 100 yd Putting was true they weren't lightning fast but they were consistent We caught this course on the day after a storm it was cart Paths only and it made the course even tougher
I will be back again and look forward to the challenge of this layout

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/05/2023

Thank you for your kind and truthful words about the layout. We have been ranked in the top 20 most difficult and thanks to Mike Strantz, the course gives a unique challenge of very large greens that test you all the way in. See you again soon!

Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Used cart

Great course, with very unique and challenging layout. Not for the beginner or high-handicapper. Conditions were pretty good, but fairways have not grown in yet. Staff was very helpful and courteous. Will definitely play again when I am back in the area.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/05/2023

Hi Dman18,

Thanks for your feedback. We're working hard to assist the Bermudagrass to grow in now that we are getting warmer temperatures. See you again soon!

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Golf Packages

Richmond Golf Getaway Package

FROM $147 (USD)
RICHMOND, VA | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at Fairfield Inn & Suites – Richmond Airport and 2 rounds of golf at Royal New Kent Golf Club and The Club at Viniterra.

Golden Horseshoe Stay & Play Golf Package

FROM $217 (USD)
WILLIAMSBURG, VA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection and 2 rounds of golf at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club - Gold & Green Courses.

Williamsburg Golf Around Package

FROM $217 (USD)
WILLIAMSBURG, VA | Enjoy 4 nights’ accommodations at Kingsmill Resort and 4 rounds of golf at Royal New Kent Golf Club, Kingsmill Resort – River Course, Golden Horseshoe – Gold Course, and The Club at Viniterra.

Kingsmill Resort Stay & Play Golf Package

FROM $247 (USD)
WILLIAMSBURG, VA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Kingsmill Resort and 2 rounds of golf at Kingsmill Resort - Plantation & River Courses.

Lansdowne Resort Stay & Play Golf Package

FROM $247 (USD)
LEESBURG, VA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Lansdowne Resort and 2 rounds of golf at The Golf Club at Lansdowne - Greg Norman & Robert Trent Jones Jr. courses.
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